Symmetrical Pattern: Analysing Songket in Wallpaper Patterns

Abstract

Various patterns can be found in traditional Malay textile fabrics such as stripes, checkers and zigzag. These patterns often provide opportunities for identifying the unique mathematical patterns in the traditional Malay songket fabrics. Basically in songket, there are six types of patterns which have been identified by local weavers. However, this paper will explore more patterns in classifying mathematical pattern groups such as the frieze patterns and wallpaper patterns. By understanding regularities based on the data we gathered, we can actually predict what comes next, estimate if the same pattern will occur when variables are altered and begin to extend the pattern. The classification of wallpaper pattern can be found in the badan kain of a sarong and badan kain of a traditional shawl. This paper seeks to identify early Malay songket textiles within the context of the mathematical pattern groups in the twentieth century, which may have influenced, or been influenced by, technical development in the production of pattern-woven textiles from the Islamic world.